


Oh Happy Day

by flowerpotgirl



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s07e18 Transition, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-02
Updated: 2007-07-02
Packaged: 2019-05-15 01:26:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14781014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowerpotgirl/pseuds/flowerpotgirl
Summary: Bit of fun





	Oh Happy Day

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

  
Author's notes: Not mine, but I like to imagine the scenes that we never saw.  


* * *

Oh Happy Day

It was a glorious morning, despite being late in the year and she walked along Pennsylvania Avenue with a smile almost breaking out on her lips. Through the darkness of the now fading night, she could just make out the white building in the distance and felt its pull somewhere deep within her. She was not given to fancy, but she was drawn to the building and all it represented in a way that surpassed the mere cerebral. It felt how she imagined the word ‘broody’ when friends described their longing for a child - a deep visceral emotion felt in the gut rather than in heart or mind.  
Yesterday had been a good day and she felt she had laid a lot of groundwork for her new job. So much of politics involved knowing people and players in the arena and she had managed to make contact with a host of new people as well as re-establish herself in her new role with many old acquaintances. There had been some surprise evident, but overall the change had been accepted pretty well and no-one had directly commented to her about it.  
She had been around DC for a long time and she smiled as she thought that she and Josh were the only real players in this new administration. Even Lou, who was a political veteran, had no experience of the actual governing or the games people played here.  
She was looking forward to sharing with Josh some of the ideas she had following her meetings. They made a good team, despite their previous hiccups, and she foresaw herself playing a key role in the new administration.  
There was an odd atmosphere in the OEOB as she passed along the corridor, but it had been such a whirlwind time that she was not surprised.  
She headed to Josh’s office ready to impress the rest of the staff with her knowledge and experience. She could do this, despite it being a new departure for her.  
The first surprised was the figure sat behind the desk.  
‘Sam Seaborn - what are you doing here?’  
‘Hi, Amy. Nice to see you too. You were out yesterday so missed the announcement that I am the new Deputy Chief of Staff.’  
‘Oh, well I suppose congratulations. Where’s Josh? I need to speak to him about some ideas…..’  
‘He’s away so maybe you could talk to me after Senior Staff. Here come the others - I just hope I can remember a few names.’  
Amy watched the other staff file in, feeling bemused. Where had Josh gone now? She assumed his trip the other day had been to see Sam. Oh well she could speak to him later or tomorrow. No way was she dealing with Sam, who was greeting the staff like he was hosting a party. She only dealt with the top.  
Silence soon settled on the room and Sam looked around at the gathering.  
‘OK with Josh away I am going to need to see each of you individually today to get up to speed on any pressing issues. Let’s do communications first, then see how the time goes. Amy, I’ll have to go through your priorities this afternoon, after I see the President-elect.’  
‘That’s Ok - I’ll wait and see Josh tomorrow.’ Amy smiled as she made her stand.  
‘No. You need to report to me. Josh has too much on his plate to see everyone for routine stuff. Anyway, you missed yesterday’s other announcement. Josh has taken a vacation and will be away for a week.’  
Amy sat silently trying to digest this. There had been no mention of a vacation the last time she had seen Josh. He never took vacations. Even with her his work had ended up taking priority over a weekend away. She was not too keen on the idea of reporting to Sam either. She was a key player and she had pictured herself as part of the inner circle with Josh. She tuned out most of the meeting until she heard a name that had her sitting up a little straighter. That was an irritation she could do without.  
Sam smiled as he watched Amy out of the corner of his eye, trying to gauge her reaction to his next piece of news.  
‘Finally, I have another appointment to make. I am sure we are all aware of the contribution Donna Moss has already made to the White House and I am proud to be able to tell you that she will be continuing her work from the East Wing.’  
‘Good,’ thought Amy,’ that means she will be out of the way, typing in a back office somewhere.  
‘Yesterday Donna accepted the post of Chief of Staff to the First Lady.’  
There was a lot of babble following Sam’s announcement, the gist of which was pleasure at Donna’s new job coupled with dismay at losing her on their team.  
Amy felt cut off from the excited chatter around her. Donna in a key job. Donna as Josh’s counterpart in the East Wing. Donna in a job that Amy had failed to retain. Donna with the power to influence agenda. Donna doubtless being welcomed into the West Wing by these people sat around lamenting her departure. Donna there in meetings - meetings which would not involve the Legislative Director.  
‘Do you want that in the briefing, Sam? Obviously Donna will take over the First Lady’s press liaison until she decides on her staff, but presumably we announce it today.’  
Sam grinned to himself as he took in Amy’s sour expression and contemplated how she was going to respond to the next comment. None of the others knew her so would not be aware of her disastrous spell in the East Wing.  
‘ Yes, put it at the end of the briefing as there may be linked questions which we can discuss after this meeting. Actually Lou, Donna will be away for the next week so we will continue to work for Mrs Santos until Donna gets back.’  
A voice called out ‘Not another person going on vacation!’ before realisation began to dawn on a few staffers.  
‘You don’t mean…..’  
‘Not together…..’  
‘I told you there was something….’  
Sam intervened as enlightenment hit Amy.  
‘Yes, strictly in this room, Josh and Donna have gone away together for a week. Any press questions get the standard reply that the White House does not comment on the personal lives of its staff. There will doubtless be a lot of interest, given their respective jobs come January, so we will need to have a plan ready for when the press starts to ask questions.’  
Amy swallowed and caught Lou looking at her with an uncertain expression. Obviously someone who listened to gossip more than she let on, thought Amy. Still, her past relationship with Josh was no secret. But Donna! Donna and Josh together in the only way they had never been before. Doubtless still doing that talking gibberish that only they understood. Probably all secret looks and pet names, Amy thought with a sneer. Donna looked the type.  
Sam allotted time for various staffers to see him finishing with a request for Amy to stay for a minute before he went through the briefing with Lou.  
There was a lot of talk as the others left, mostly about Donna or Josh and Donna.  
‘Do you remember Ronna saying…..’  
‘I knew there was something……’  
‘Great job, but I’m not sure Josh won’t be the harder work.’  
Lou had stayed in the room and Amy waited for Sam to send her out, but he just went straight into making his point.  
‘Amy, first let’s be clear about how things work around here. We need to operate a strict chain of command or Josh will end up bogged down in trivia. Part of the reason for his vacation is the tremendous workload he has been trying to manage, but now I’m here I intend to ensure that he has some chance at a private life. So, you report to me and I will take anything I deem necessary to Josh, who will take only the relevant stuff to the President. I know you have tended to work independently, but that is just not appropriate here.’ He looked intently at Amy and said with a clear emphasis, ’My job is to protect Josh from unnecessary hassle and I have every intention of ensuring that he has the chance to get away from the White House occasionally. This is his first decent relationship in a long while and, as his friend as well as a colleague, I have no intention of letting anything or anyone get in the way. Everyone reports to me and I filter things through to Josh. Clear?’  
Amy glared at him - ‘first decent relationship’, thanks a lot - who did he think he was. Luckily, she caught a glimpse of Lou out of the corner of her eye and managed to bite back the angry words that hovered on her lips. It was a hard fact to swallow, but Sam Seaborn officially outranked her and had just put her firmly in her place. He had also made it very clear what he thought of Amy personally and subtly threatened her should she try to rock the boat for Josh in any way.   
‘Of course. Do you want me to run through things now?’  
‘No, later will do. Lou and I need to put together a briefing and a press plan in case of personal questions. CJ used to have a ‘Josh and Donna plan’, but things have changed so we may need to handle this differently.’  
Amy left Josh’s office and the OEOB for a meeting on the Hill. There was a lead weight sitting in the middle of her chest and her earlier good mood had totally disappeared. So much for being a key player. Ousted by Josh’s secretary of all people. No, Josh’s girlfriend by the sound of it. Not only did she have a job that had been Amy’s, but she also had her ex-boyfriend. And now when he had the top job, when Amy had felt that she could use her past with Josh to become more powerful. And Sam with the right to tell her off and threaten her if she did not behave. She trudged on, feeling like the child not invited to the party.  
The bright sunlight continued to bounce of the impressive building behind her, but nothing was going to restore her good mood, as she faced the unpleasant truth that Amy Gardner was going to have less influence than Donna Moss in the new administration. And with the new Chief of Staff.


End file.
